Draft Prospects demanding not to play for certain teams?

[BleedTheClock]

It's weak sauce. I like warriors out there, which is why I don't like players sitting out bowl games or whining about going to a certain team. It's not an alpha male move in my opinion. I want a dude that is supremely confident that you could give him pipsqueak mcgee and little timmy as WR's and he could win a super bowl. Secretly wanting to go to the NYG instead of the Chargers (2004) is fine. But to whine and cry about it until you get your way makes you look like a beta biznitch. I don't like it and I do lose respect for players that do this.

 

I understand people hear that the Browns are a dumpster fire and they don't want to play here. But to kick and scream in order to avoid it makes you look lame as hell. It doesn't mean you're going to be a bad pro by any means, but it just isn't a good look for the prospect. Don't be so freaking spoiled.

[BleedTheClock]

7 hours ago, ronjon1990 said:

I mean, if we're being honest, I would fear being drafted by Cleveland, especially as a QB. Their track record is comically bad. It is a bad team with an absolute mess on its hands in terms of management. Could a QB become a deity with a playoff win? Yes. But I highly doubt the Browns front office is capable of putting a QB in position to ever do that. Even the cockiest and most self-promoting QB has to understand that much and so, what they "could" become there is a moot point. A guy like Rosen has to know that his likelihood of success with the Browns right now would be limited to non-existent. He could show up, do his absolute best, and probably still be viewed as a "bust" before having to spend the next several years with a new team trying to buck that reputation and hoping to get another shot before their new team drafts their new "future". I totally understand them wanting to go into the best possible position to actually make a career out of the NFL. The Browns can't offer that right now, on or off the field, for a QB. 

Now, personally, I think it shows a little bit of immaturity/entitlement/lack of professionalism.  But I do fully understand where guys could be coming from. It isn't easy to not be a "bust" with a bad team around you and equally as difficult shedding that label and capitalizing once burdened with it. 

But here's the thing with Cleveland and their QB situation:

 

They haven't drafted a great QB and run him into the ground. All the QB's we took were trash. If we drafted Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, things would be different. It's not like Brady Quinn went to Denver and became an elite QB. It's not like Johnny Manziel would have been a stud somewhere else. It's not like Brandon Weeden wasn't a hilarious joke everywhere he's played. I really don't think an organization can ruin an elite QB. Maybe I'm being naive, but I can't think of one case where a QB was in a toxic situation, left, and became a stud. If someone could point to one, I'd be happy to listen. Ultimately you are the one pulling the trigger out there on Sundays. If you can't accurately complete a pass or stop putting cocaine up your nose, how is that on the organization that drafted you?

The organization has been historically terrible at drafting. There's no doubt about that. But if I'm a prospect, I believe I'm the bees knees and where exactly I land would not be a major factor. Of course I'd want some weapons around me, but Cleveland does have weapons. We just have idiots playing QB for us. We are going to bring in 3-4 new receivers and a new RB. We already have Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman, David Njoku, Seth DeValve, and Duke Johnson. We will likely be adding a stud WR into that group and I believe it's highly likely we take Saquon Barkley at pick #3-5. That supporting cast is pretty damn good if you are actually a franchise QB.

Cleveland isn't turning good players into bad players. They are just incapable of drafting good players. 

[FalconFan13]

Don't care either way but screw that i would be begging for the Brownies to take me if i was a QB.   1st off you get the prestige of being the #1 guy in your draft class taken,  Then you get the most money of anyone drafted right off the bat, and imo the best part about it you get the chance to do something no one else has been able to do in a very long time and thats make the browns relevant again.   With as awesome, loyal, and rabid as the browns fans are to their teams and guys i want to be the guy who they look to and say he was our savior and hero and have everyone wearing my jersey.    Plus every fan around the league will consider you almost elite at that point to be able to pull off such a thing.   I'll take on that fight instead of running from it if im talented and have enough faith in my skills to back it up.

[candyman93]

If a guy is just using leverage, more power to him. However, as a GM the first question that comes to mind is “will this guy bail at the first sign of trouble?” Considering he is before he even enters the league.

[MWil23]

They're 100% free to do it. They're the only profession that has about zero say (professional athletes as a whole, that is) in where they go, how it impacts their families, etc. In my profession I'm not getting traded without notice and have to uproot my entire family.

And as a fan, I'm 100% free to mock them, call them a baby, and root against them, especially when people use the "their profession they have no say" when they'll be making more money than I ever will.

I think that it's weak personally, but whatever.

[JaguarCrazy2832]

I understand the idea of not wanting to play for a particular coach or scheme moreso than a whole team. Like I understand Cleveland has been historically bad of late but who have they run into the ground at the position that wasn't already terrible? Have they taken anyone at the QB position high that didn't have major questions. 

Deshone Kiser-2

Cody Kessler-3

Johnny Manziel-1

Brandon Weeden-1

Colt Mccoy-3

Brady Quinn-1

Charlie Frye-3

Luke Mccown-4

Spergon Wynn-6

Tim Couch-1

 

Of all those QBs drafted by Cleveland did ANYONE have high expectations or go on to be bigger and better somewhere else? Colt Mccoy is probably the best guy on the list and he is a spot starter at best. Only 1 guy drafted in the Top-20 since 1999? I didn't follow Couch so maybe he had some hype that was there that made sense but Quinn fell and everyone went crazy when he did but he turned out to be terrible everywhere he went. I understand the cupboard was bare at times and you dont want a David Carr getting killed or having no one to throw to but sometimes you just have to pull the trigger. I think we're all wondering what happened in 2016 where they pulled a 180 from the Weeden situation basically taking a QB in a panic move there and then have Goff-Wentz staring them down and basically have the luxury of taking whoever is left so they cant screw that up but they traded down. We all love trading down because it means more picks and more shiny new toys to talk about on our team forum but they looked a gift horse in the mouth. I know you cant pull the trigger just because you have 1 in the chamber but if you never take your shot your chance at a title will almost always be dead.

[RuskieTitan]

Let's be honest. If you are a top flight QB, where would you rather kick off your career: The Big Apple, throwing to OBJ, or Cleveland, where Josh Gordon is one puff away from lifetime ban.

One organization has won two Super Bowls in the past 2 decades, the other is a laughing stock. One is New York City, the other is freaking Cleveland, Ohio.

When you consider location, current roster, franchise direction and ownership, it's clear that Cleveland is the least ideal place for a young quarterback to land and hope to have a successful NFL quarterback. Not to mention you have to live there. There's basically no perks to wanting to play for Cleveland, besides the fact that maybe 6-8 wins in a season would get you a statue dedicated in your image.

[Bonanza23]

1 hour ago, JaguarCrazy2832 said:

I understand the idea of not wanting to play for a particular coach or scheme moreso than a whole team. Like I understand Cleveland has been historically bad of late but who have they run into the ground at the position that wasn't already terrible? Have they taken anyone at the QB position high that didn't have major questions. 

Deshone Kiser-2

Cody Kessler-3

Johnny Manziel-1

Brandon Weeden-1

Colt Mccoy-3

Brady Quinn-1

Charlie Frye-3

Luke Mccown-4

Spergon Wynn-6

Tim Couch-1

 

Of all those QBs drafted by Cleveland did ANYONE have high expectations or go on to be bigger and better somewhere else? Colt Mccoy is probably the best guy on the list and he is a spot starter at best. Only 1 guy drafted in the Top-20 since 1999? I didn't follow Couch so maybe he had some hype that was there that made sense but Quinn fell and everyone went crazy when he did but he turned out to be terrible everywhere he went. I understand the cupboard was bare at times and you dont want a David Carr getting killed or having no one to throw to but sometimes you just have to pull the trigger. I think we're all wondering what happened in 2016 where they pulled a 180 from the Weeden situation basically taking a QB in a panic move there and then have Goff-Wentz staring them down and basically have the luxury of taking whoever is left so they cant screw that up but they traded down. We all love trading down because it means more picks and more shiny new toys to talk about on our team forum but they looked a gift horse in the mouth. I know you cant pull the trigger just because you have 1 in the chamber but if you never take your shot your chance at a title will almost always be dead.

Great post!  Said this same thing on this site about a billion times. Just nice to read someone outside of Browns fan actually gets it. 

I believe Couch would have been at least a good qb. The only one we drafted that could have been something that we absolutely ruined. 

[JaguarCrazy2832]

5 hours ago, Bonanza23 said:

Great post!  Said this same thing on this site about a billion times. Just nice to read someone outside of Browns fan actually gets it. 

I believe Couch would have been at least a good qb. The only one we drafted that could have been something that we absolutely ruined. 

I was shocked when i went back to look you only drafted that many QBs in round 1 or in general

[INbengalfan]

I absolutely hate it when players try to manipulate things like this.  

 

The league is built on the principle of parity, but this flies in the face of it.  I have yet to hear a player refuse to play for a big market team because they want to play for the Browns, Bengals or Bills.  If you want to play in the NFL and  make lots of money, there is a system in place to get you there.  Individual players should not have the ability to manipulate it.  You earn the right to choose where you go after your rookie contract.  Everyone plays with that set of rules.

 

I have wondered how much the Bengals history would have been different if Steve Young couldn't have bolted to the USFL after we drafted him in the first round.

 

At least when Eli pulled that stunt, the Chargers were compensated well for it.  Does New York want to throw Cleveland a second rounder or a future first for Rosen?

[Jeezla]

It bothers me when players do this, but Cleveland as a franchise is so dysfunctional that this specific instance wouldn't bother me aside from the fact Rosen would likely go to the Giants, and I'd much prefer the Giants end up with Darnold.

[Malik]

Doesn't bother me at all. Especially when you consider how little control players can actually have over their career. It's not like the NBA or MLB where you can get traded easily or even get into free agency easily. You're likely to be stuck for the 1st 5 years at a particular spot if you're good with no one to get out.

[Sugashane]

I wouldn't want to draft a player who lacks the balls to believe they could elevate a team. A QB who wins a single Super Bowl in CLE would be above LeBron to the city, and it's not even close IMO. 

 

And where do you draw the line. A WR demanding to only play with 10 of the QBs? Be grateful you have a chance to make an absurd amount of money for the time being, and play the game. Just my opinion of course. 

[rudyZ]

I can understand a player not wanting to play for Cleveland, given their history. So now it's John Dorsey's job to make the Browns credible again. They don't have a bad roster. They have talent on both sides of the ball, and have a HoF LT to protect a rookie first overall QB. Dorsey just have to make decisions that will instill confidence in their future QB(s). Having two picks in the top 10 is a very solid argument for them. Dorsey can tell Hypothetical QB: "Look, we're taking you at #1, and then at #6 (or whatever), we're taking this guy (maybe Barkley?). You guys are going to be our core for the next decade". Depending on the moves he will have made regarding coaching and free agency, Hypothetical QB should have reasons to be excited to join the Browns. As of december 30th, 2017, I can understand a prospect stating he doesn't want to play for them. But Dorsey still has four months or so to make his sales pitch, and that's his job.

I'm a niner fan. Last year, I don't think John Lynch had much to stand on to convince free agents, other than having Kyle Shanahan at HC. He did his job, and we know he made some trade mid-season for some QB, and a year later, his sales pitch has now become considerably easier. That's a GM's job. Creating the circumstances under which players will want to come in and play for your team. I know the draft makes it so that players are forced to play for your team, but it doesn't hurt when the rookies are actually engaged and motivated to come play for you. So, that's Dorsey's job right now. Rosen is entitled to his current opinion. It doesn't mean it won't change over the next four months.

[daineraider]

I’m not a fan, but I get it to a degree.  For me I would be so happy about getting drafted that I would play anywhere(including Denver).  I would also be an instant fan of any franchise willing to take a chance on me(obviously this is coming from someone who didn’t make it to the NFL, so just my opinion).